PIP Review Award

cwatson0000

Hi there, wondering if someone could offer me some advice!

I was awarded PIP in 2021 after transferring from DLA. I was awarded the higher rate on both components. I was sent a review form last year in November and filled it out, but didn’t hear anything back until recently when I got a text to say the DWP had made a decision on my review and I would receive a letter.

In my review form I stated that some things had changed… more specifically the mobility activities. Over the last maybe year I have lost a significant amount of weight which has allowed me to be able to walk without pain in my knees. On the review form I stated that I could work more than 200meters. I also said on the journeys that I have been able to leave the house more gradually as long as I am accompanied by my carer or close family member, but am not able to follow journeys on my own.

My previous award I was awarded 12 points for moving around and 10 points for following journeys. What’s strange is that with this review all my points awarded for the descriptors have stayed the same, even though I told them that something had changed! I ticked being able to move more than 200 meters yet they’ve awarded me 12 points for that specific descriptor.

My award letter reads:

I looked at the information provided on AR1 How your disability affects you form and Medical Evidence. I decided to award you PIP for a longer time as your circumstances have changed. Your rate of PIP has not changed.

The information provided is enough to decide how much help you need on the majority of days. This shows you still need help with Daily Living and Mobility activities. I awarded you PIP for a set time as your needs may change.

Even for the journeys activity I stated that I can leave the house only with support, but they’ve awarded me the descriptor that reads: You cannot undertake any journey because it would cause you overwhelming psychological distress.

I’m so unsure if I’ve done something wrong here, because it even says in the decision letter that my circumstances had changed… yet they’ve awarded me the exact same descriptor for every daily living and mobility activity?

The review was completely paper based and I didn’t have another assessment, I just sent in some medical evidence that I’m sure I’ve sent in before. They extended my award by quite a few years, and I thought to myself now I don’t have to worry for a long while, but now I’m not so sure. Have they messed up? What should I do?

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

How many points would you have scored yourself there?

If you would have still scored yourself 12+ points then it doesn't really matter where the boxes are ticked, as the award would remain the same anyway.

I think you're saying that you can now go out on the majority of days but only with a family member? In that case, you would be scored 12 points for that descriptor so would still get Enhanced Mobility regardless of the moving around descriptor.

If you're now able to move more than 200 metres, BUT still cannot go out on on the majority of days at all, then you should only have been awarded 10 points for that, and got the standard rate instead.

I assume your concern is that someone reports you for walking over 200 metres. But that is unlikely to happen, and they would have to prove that you can walk that far on the majority of days, which is also unlikely.

Ultimately it's your choice, and you can ask them to reconsider if you want, but I think I'd just leave it if you were still expecting to get the Enhanced rate anyway.

cwatson0000

@OverlyAnxious thank you for your reply.

Ultimately I would have scored myself 12 points for the following journeys activity, as I would say I can go out on the majority of days but only if I’m accompanied.

It does just worry me a bit about the moving around activity… because I don’t think I should of scored any points for this activity as my needs have changed, and in the review form I stated I could move more than 200 meters. Is this not strange? It does stress me out because what if a few years down the line i have the DWP on my case, saying that I can walk and that I was awarded the wrong amount of points? I know that my award would still be enhanced because of the following journeys activity, but it just doesn’t sit right with me because I feel like the way they have awarded me is wrong… at the same time though I don’t want to have to go through this whole process all over again, and my award was extended for a few years which means I shouldn’t have to worry for a while.

I don’t know, I just don’t want to get in any trouble when I feel like I’ve followed the rules and told them of the change in the review form. I find it weird that a decision maker would even score me 12 points for moving around when clearly I should have gotten 0.

I have anxiety anyways so maybe I’m just over thinking it, but I also don’t want to do anything wrong and I’d rather be claiming against the correct descriptors.

For example, even in the daily living activities due to me not being overweight anymore I stated that I no longer need to use an aid to get on and off a toilet… yet they’ve awarded me 2 points for that just like how they did in 2021!

Going through the points, I would of added them all up to be the enhanced rate for the way I currently am anyways… I just find it bizzare that’s all, surely this can’t be a common error that the DWP make?

OverlyAnxious

It is quite common to get points in what we'd consider the 'wrong' places. And very common for assessors not to read reviews and MR's properly, which is what seems to have happened in this case. The points really don't matter as long as the award is correct though. There would be nothing for DWP to 'reclaim' in future because the amount of money is no different. For people who go to tribunal, they often only go as far as they need to get 12 points, because there's no need to waste time looking for more points in further descriptors once they've reached the maximum award.

I do understand your concern from a moral point of view but I don't see anything to be gained from doing a reconsideration in this case. The DWP have your review form, so if they ever did question it, they can see exactly what you wrote anyway, and that it was the assessors fault the wrong boxes were ticked, not yours.